companies house made easy

previous name

Any previous names listed for this company (NB: companies can change their name, but not their registered number)

registered number

The official number of the company as allocated by Companies House (for LTD & PLC)

incorporation date

When the company legally became a corporation

registered office

The official address of the company, as known at Companies House (NB: not necessarily the trading address)

latest filed accounts

The date of the latest filed annual accounts

date accounts lodged

The date on which the accounts were lodged

analysed accounts

The date of the most recent set of accounts analysed by the system

accounts ref date

The accounts reference date

latest annual return

The date of the latest annual return

issued capital (GBP)

Displays the issued capital for the company (in 000s GBP)

company status

The current status of the company

type of accounts

The type of company accounts (i.e. small) and exemption status

trading address

Last known trading address of the company

telephone number

Last known telephone number of the company

fax number

Last known fax number of the company

region

Region of operation

auditors

Company auditors

audit qualification/ comment

The auditors’ (or reporting accountants’) opinion on whether or not the accounts give a true and fair view. There a number of ways a report can be qualified each one varying in severity. Reports can be completely unqualified, unqualified but referred or completely qualified

bankers

Bankers for the company

principle activities

The principle activities of the company

UK SIC code(s)

The SIC (Standard Industry Code) describes companies by their industry

Risk score - a unique predictive scoring model has been developed in conjunction with Scorex (UK) Ltd aimed at enabling you to detect those companies at risk of corporate failure within the next 12 months.

how the score is built

In the course of a year, approximately 2% of the trading population will become insolvent. However, this doesn’t mean that every company has a 2% chance of failure. By using a risk score, we can give you more precise and accurate information indicating which companies have a higher risk of insolvency.

The scoring system gives each company a rating of 1 to 100, with 1 indicating a high risk of becoming insolvent, and 100 being a low risk. By using historical statistics we can calculate the relative risk of insolvency at each company’s score and compare this with the background rate of 2%.

examples

1. Companies with a risk score of 10 or less are more likely to become insolvent. We have found that companies with this score have a 50% chance of becoming insolvent, this is 25 times the background rate of 2%, and so these companies are a high risk.
2. Companies with a risk score of 80 or over are less likely to become insolvent. We have found that companies with this score have a 99.75% chance of survival. Only a very small percentage of companies (0.25%) will actually fail in the following year. This is a tenth of the background rate of 2%, and so these companies are less likely to become insolvent.

These examples illustrate the extremes of the scale. This system indicates the probability of a company becoming insolvent, it is not a certainty or a guarantee. Companies with a score of 10 or less still have a 50% chance of survival, and 0.25% of companies with a score of 80 or over will still fail. This is the nature of probability – it indicates the likelihood of an event occurring, but cannot predict what will actually happen.

The credit limit helps you to work out an indication of a company’s capability to settle potential credit transactions. It uses the credit capacity and risk score of a company to help create a guide to the level of credit that this company should be able to settle.

To work out the credit limit, these three values are taken into consideration:

cash flow

This is calculated as the company’s pre-tax profit plus depreciation charged against that profit. In the absence of any net cash flow from operations figures.

working capital

This is calculated as the difference between the total current assets and total current liabilities.

net worth

This is calculated as the total assets minus the total liabilities, where the former does not include any intangible assets.

The average of these 3 values is taken as the guide to the company’s credit capacity. The credit limit also takes into account a company’s risk score, so that high risk companies are less likely to be extended the same level of credit as low risk companies. This helps to protect creditors from extending high levels of credit to companies which are likely to become insolvent.

The final value is taken as a percentage of the credit capacity, where the percentage is directly proportional to risk score, i.e. the greater the score the higher the percentage, which can be from 2.5 to 25%.

There are exceptions to this formula, which is industry specific.

There are some companies that will not have a credit limit attached. These companies will have scored below 15 or alternatively all elements from the balance sheet and cash flow will be negative.

newly incorporated companies

The credit limit for newly incorporated companies, depending on the legal status of the company, is set a credit limit between £500 and £5,000. The limit will then increase over time unless adverse data is filed. Once a set of accounts has been filed the normal methodology for the calculation applies

The contract limits are calculated as a percentage of turnover. The latest disclosed turnover reflects the level of successful contracts completed, hence gives an indication of future capacity. Where turnover is not disclosed (abridged accounts), an estimated figure is used based on asset values and appropriate industry data. As with credit limits, the higher the score the greater the % to apply (range = 2.5% to 35%). This measurement views the applicant as a supplier of goods and services, whereas a credit limit assesses the applicant as a purchaser. The maximum value is capped at £500 million and the minimum value is now £500.

The resulting limit should be regarded as a yardstick for maximum contract capacity on a single contract over a 12 month period.

A contract limit combines relative risk and absolute measurement of contract capacity.

number of exact unsatisfied CCJs

Exact CCJ matches (matching the name and the address of the company to the relevant CCJ)

number of probable unsatisfied CCJs

Probable CCJ matches (matching the name only of the company to the relevant CCJ)

number of possible unsatisfied CCJs

Possible CCJ matches (matching the address of the company only to the relevant CCJ)

group structure

Holding hompanies are sourced from the systems shareholder database, which is compiled from the annual return document, and allotment of shares documents

holding company

A holding company is a company that controls other companies either through stock ownership or in certain cases by management control. ICC defines a holding company as one that has a 50% shareholding or more

ultimate holding company

An ultimate holding company is a company at the top of the ownership tree

Ultimate holding companies are sourced from the annual report and accounts; this is the only place where a company is obliged to publish this information.

The annual return and annual report and accounts are filed separately and at different dates each year. In some cases you might have to wait nearly two years for the annual report and accounts to be made public. Hence the system may have identified the holding company from the annual return but cannot ascertain the ultimate holding company as the accounts have not been filed.

It is possible for ownership of a company to change between annual returns. If this change does not involve any new allotments of shares, the transfer of ownership will not be reported until the next annual return is filed.

It is possible for the ultimate owner of a company to change between annual reports and accounts. This change will not show until the next annual report and accounts is filed and analysed by the system.

In the case of certain non analysed companies, for example non traders or dormant companies, the holding company and the ultimate holding company are still updated from the relevant source documents.

If the holding company field is blank but the ultimate holding company is not this would generally mean that no individual company was identified in the annual return as the holding company but that the ultimate holding company was reported in the last set of accounts. You should check the date of latest annual return and latest analysed accounts to aid interpretation.

A holding company or ultimate holding company's name may change between annual returns or annual reports and accounts. On Aquila, for UK holding companies and ultimate holding companies, the new name will be reflected, as the registration number is used to look up the current name when a report is requested.

An explanation of all known shareholdings for this company.

Companies registered in England and Wales sometimes create a mortgage or charge that must be registered. If so, they must deliver details of it, together with any document creating or giving evidence of it, to the Registrar of Companies in Cardiff.

The documents must be delivered within 21 days after the creation of the mortgage or charge to ensure its security in the event of liquidation. A court order may be required to enable registration outside the 21 day limit. Companies are not required to notify the Registrar when they pay off (or satisfy) a registered charge, but it is in their best interests to do so.

charges

Security for the payment of a debt or other obligation that does not pass property or any right to possession to the person to whom the charge is given

mortgages

Security for the payment of a debt or other obligation that passes property but no right to possession to the person to whom the mortgage is given

The following charges require registration in England and Wales:

a charge to secure any issue of debentures

A debenture is an instrument issued by a company as evidence of a debt or other obligation. It includes debenture stock, bonds and any other securities of a company, whether or not it forms a charge on the assets of the company

a charge on uncalled share capital of the company

Uncalled share capital is the balance owing for shares that are issued partly paid

a charge created or evidenced by an instrument, which, If executed by an individual, would require registration as a bill of sale

A bill of sale is an instrument creating or evidencing a charge or mortgage over goods, including fixtures and agricultural crops in certain cases, but not ships or aircraft An instrument is usually a document in legible form but it can also exist in electronic form, evidence means to provide proof of the existence of something

a charge on book debts of the company

Book debts are debts that in the ordinary course of a company's business are commonly entered in its books

a floating charge on the company's undertaking or property

A floating charge is a charge that does not affect the assets charged until some event crystallises the charge, fixing it to a certain point in time

a charge on calls made but not paid

Calls made are demands for payment of any part of the balance owing in respect of shares which are issued partly paid

a charge on a ship or aircraft or any share in a ship

a charge on goodwill, or on a patent, trademark, registered design, copyright or design right or a licence under or in respect of any such right

a charge on land (wherever situated), or any interest in it, but not a Charge for any rent or other periodical sum arising from land. Technically, land includes property

The profit & loss account differs significantly from the balance sheet in that it is a record of the firms trading activities over a period of time whereas the balance sheet is the financial position at a moment in time.

The profit & loss account looks at how well the firm has traded over the time period concerned (usually the last 6 months or year). It shows how much the firm has earned from selling its product or service, and how much it has paid out in costs (production costs, salaries and so on). The net of these two is the amount of profit they have earned. In essence this is what the profit & loss account shows, it just shows it in more detail.

The final retained profit figure is the one that goes to the balance sheet as a source of funds for the company to use. This retained profit may be used to buy fixed assets (machinery, equipment etc.) or it may remain as current assets (cash in the bank, for example).

date of accounts

The date to which the financial statements have been prepared

consolidated

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the financial statements reflect the subject company and its subsidiaries as a group, whilst no means the company only is reflected

subsidiary

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the subject company was under the operational control of another company at the balance sheet date, whilst no means that the company operated independently

no. of weeks

Period covered by the set of accounts

currency

Current currency of the stated financial statements. It will also indicate whether the accounts are displayed in units or thousands

audit qualification/ comment

The auditors’ (or reporting accountants’) opinion on whether or not the accounts give a true and fair view. There a number of ways a report can be qualified each one varying in severity. Reports can be completely unqualified, unqualified but referred or completely qualified

turnover

Total invoiced sales for the period, net of VAT. UK sales, exports and overseas sales and intercompany sales will be included

cost of aales

Cost components directly related to turnover

gross profit

This indicates turnover less cost of sales

operating profit

Indicates the profit and loss arising from core business activities. Calculated as pre-tax profit plus interest paid, minus non-trading income

non-trading income

Comprises interest and investment income, rents received, share of profit from associated, related and joint venture companies, revenue grants plus transfers from capital grant reserve. Included is a write off of investments and intangibles and disposal gains and losses

interest payable

The net trading profit figure after deduction of all operating expenses including depreciation and finance charges, but before deduction of tax, dividends, subventions or group relief, and other appropriations. Where applicable it will include the share of profits and losses of associated companies. Items described by the company as exceptional are included. Extraordinary items are excluded

pre-tax profit

The net trading profit figure after deduction of all operating expenses including depreciation and finance charges, but before deduction of tax, dividends, subventions or group relief, and other appropriations. Where applicable it will include the share of profits and losses of associated companies. Items described by the company as exceptional are included. Extraordinary items are excluded

taxation

Tax charges paid against profits. This can be negative, representing a tax credit

profit after tax

This figure represents the profit or loss after deduction of corporation taxation but before the deduction of dividends, minority interests and any extraordinary items

dividends payable

This item includes both proposed and paid items and provisions/ appropriations determined by FRS4

retained profit

This figure is after the deduction of extraordinary items, taxation, dividends and any other appropriations (e.g. minority interests). Essentially, this is the amount carried from the profit & loss account to the accumulated profit & loss account balance on the balance sheet

value added

Trading profit plus salaries and wages. It should be noted that for the value added calculation, staff costs are grossed up to reflect national insurance costs. Value Added represents the difference between the sales income received and bought in materials and services expended in the period

The balance sheet is one of the financial statements that limited companies and PLCs produce every year for their shareholders. It is a snapshot of the company's financial situation at that moment in time. It is worked out at the company's year end, giving the company's assets and liabilities at that point in time.

Most balance sheets are set out in a vertical format, with assets above liabilities, the difference between the two being net assets.

The money invested in the business may have been used to buy long-term assets or short-term assets. The long-term assets are known as fixed assets, and help the firm to produce. Examples would be machinery, equipment, computers and so on, none of which actually get used up in the production process. The short-term assets are known as current assets, which are used by the firm on a day to day basis. The current assets may include cash, stocks and debtors. The top half of the balance sheet will therefore be made up of the total of the fixed and current Assets, less any current or long-term liabilities the firm may have (creditors, loans and so on).

The bottom half of the balance sheet then looks at where this money came from. This depends on how the business was originally funded. The main source of money for a limited company starting up is the issue of shares. This is termed the share capital, which is the money the original shareholders put into the business. From then on the assets of the company may be built up by ploughing profit back into the business. This is called retained profit, and is the other source of money usually included in the bottom half of the balance sheet.

date of accounts

The date to which the financial statements have been prepared

consolidated

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the financial statements reflect the subject company and its subsidiaries as a group, whilst no means the company only is reflected

subsidiary

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the subject company was under the operational control of another company at the balance sheet date, whilst no means that the company operated independently

no. of weeks

Period covered by the set of accounts

currency

Current currency of the stated financial statements. It will also indicate whether the accounts are displayed in units or thousands

tangible fixed assets

The sum of fixed assets and intermediate assets. Tangible fixed assets include plant, machinery and equipment, whilst intermediate includes long-term investments and receivables

intangible assets

Assets which do not possess any material value. Will include goodwill, trademarks, patents and copyrights, at their amortised book value. These are assets with no physical existence, but are deemed to confer benefits to the company in future periods

total fixed assets

The total of tangible and intangible fixed assets

stocks

Trading stocks, sundry stocks and work in progress net of progress payments

trade debtors

Trade debtors, bills receivable and amounts recoverable on contracts due within one year. For smaller companies, when the figure is not disclosed the figure will represent total debtors

cash

cash includes the following:

• cash in hand
• cash at bank
• cash at bank and in hand
• cash balances and deposits with intermediate access (i.e. recoverable without notice)

miscellaneous current assets

short-term assets other than stocks, trade debtors or cash. Includes items such as:

• sundry debtors
• amounts due from group and related companies
• called up share capital not paid
• prepayments and accrued income
• current asset investments, including bank deposits and other liquid resources without immediate access (i.e. recoverable without notice)
• bank current account

total current assets

The sum of stocks, trade debtors, cash and miscellaneous current assets

creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Amounts falling due within one year also referred to as total current liabilities, being the sum of trade creditors, bank overdraft and miscellaneous current liabilities

total current liabilities

The sum of current and long-term liabilities

total assets less current liabilities

Total assets minus total current liabilities

total liabilities

The sum of current and long-term liabilities

share capital & reserves

The sum of called up share capital and sundry reserves, including share premium account

profit & loss account reserve

The accumulation of profits/losses from previous trading periods including the retained profit/loss from the profit & loss account

revaluation reserve

Also known as investment revaluation reserve, property revaluation reserve, and unrealised capital gains on valuation

shareholders funds

The sum of called up share capital, sundry reserves, profit & loss account reserve and revaluation reserve

capital employed

The sum of shareholders funds and total long-term liabilities

net worth

Shareholders funds minus intangibles. Often referred to as the book value of the company. The long-term realisable value after all liabilities are cleared

working capital

Obtained by subtracting total current liabilities from the total current assets. This represents the surplus/deficiency of funds from normal trading activities

contingent liabilities

These items are extracted from the notes to the accounts and includes all potential liabilities such as; guarantees, indemnities, cross guarantees, HM customs and excise, letters of credit and VAT registration

A cash flow statement tells us how much cash has been generated/utilised within the business and what the closing net cash position is. Net cash is defined as immediately available cash balances less bank overdraft.

The cash flow statement replaced the old style statement of source and application of funds. The various items measure the flow of cash and equivalents during the period.

date of accounts

The date to which the financial statements have been prepared

consolidated

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the financial statements reflect the subject company and its subsidiaries as a group, whilst no means the company only is reflected

subsidiary

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the subject company was under the operational control of another company at the balance sheet date, whilst no means that the company operated independently

no. of weeks

Period covered by the set of accounts

currency

Current currency of the stated financial statements. It will also indicate whether the accounts are displayed in units or thousands

net cash flow from operating activities

Cash receipts and payments from normal operations

net cash flow from return on investment and servicing of finance

Cash derived from holding investments matched against the cash utilised in paying the interest on finance capital and the dividends on equity capital. This is a useful indicator of the business performance. A negative figure would indicate poor profitability or poor management of working capital efficiency

net cash flow before financing

This is the total cash generated or used by the business before any funding activity and movements in the cash balances. If positive, the business has generated a cash surplus, which can be used as liquid funds or to repay debt

net cash flow from financing

Cash derived from the issue of equity capital or the use of loan facilities matched against the cash utilised in repaying borrowings

increase in cash

A reconciliation of cash movements in terms of cash and cash equivalent balances

date of accounts

The date to which the financial statements have been prepared

consolidated

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the financial statements reflect the subject company and its subsidiaries as a group, whilst no means the company only is reflected

subsidiary

This will indicate either yes or no. If yes, the subject company was under the operational control of another company at the balance sheet date, whilst no means that the company operated independently

no. of weeks

Period covered by the set of accounts

currency

Current currency of the stated financial statements. It will also indicate whether the accounts are displayed in units or thousands

exports

This figure represents direct exports from the UK

operating profit is after charging the following

employees remuneration

Total wages and salaries (including directors’) but excluding social security and pension costs

directors remuneration

Total payments made to directors for their services, including benefits and pension contributions

audit fees

The auditors’ charge for the statutory audit, which excludes accountancy charges and other non audit related fees non-audit fees. This refers to amounts charged by the auditors for services other than the audit

depreciation

This indicates the amount written off tangible assets (including leased assets) during the period

average number of employees (actual)

Average number of employees employed during the period

tangible assets consist of

fixed assets

This represents a number of items, including the following: property, plant, fixtures, fittings, office equipment and motor vehicles, all at written down value. This includes leased and capitalised assets, and for some industries assets held on a long term basis and constantly replaced for renting or hiring out

intermediate assets

this represents investments in subsidiary and associated companies, trade and other unquoted investments, long term amounts due from other group and associated companies and any other long term debtors which includes:

due from group, non-current

Part of intermediate assets, amounts due from other group companies, associated companies that are received over one year, and with no stated fixed repayment terms

miscellaneous current assets includes:

due from group, current

Amounts due from other group companies or associated companies that appear to be receivable within one year

creditors: amounts falling due within one year consists of:

trade creditors

This figure includes short term (i.e. within one year portion) of trade creditors and trade bills payable. For smaller companies, where trade creditors have not been separated out, the figure will represent total current liabilities

bank overdraft

This includes overdrawn bank account, negative cash items and bank indebtedness

miscellaneous current liabilities includes:

bank loans current portion

Instalment of bank loan due for repayment within 12 months

other short-term finance

this includes any undefined loans or loans from non banking sources. Typically hire purchase obligations, leases, factoring advances, stocking loans, debentures, mortgages, capital creditors, amounts due to group and directors within one year

due to group, current

Current loans due to group companies due in one year

due to directors, current

Directors loans due in one year

other current Liabilities

This includes all other sundry creditors, accrued expenses and prepaid income, including dividends, corporation tax, social security or other sundry amounts payable within one year

short-term loans

The sum of bank overdraft, bank loans (current portion) and other short-term finance

total long-term liabilities consists of:

long-term loans

Which consists of the sum of long-term bank loans and other long-term finance

long-term bank loans

Instalments of bank loans repayable in more than one year

other long-term finance

this includes long term portions of hire purchases and leasing obligations; amounts due to other group, associated or affiliated companies; portions of trade and sundry creditors payable in more than one year

due to group, non-current

Loans due to group/related companies over more than 12 months

due to directors, non-current

Directors’ loans due in more than 12 months

other long-term tiabilities

this includes deferred tax, future tax, minority interests, pension fund liabilities, provisions for liabilities and prepaid income

share capital and reserves consists of:

called up share capital

The total value of shares issued. This represents the share capital currently invested in the company

sundry reserves

This includes capital reserve, share premium, related companies reserves, merger reserve, consolidation reserve, and capital based grants

If we want to compare company performance we must first eliminate the size element. You can hardly compare ICI, for example, against a small independent chemical trader and say that the former is the better performer because it has higher sales. However, even if we eliminate absolute size there still exists a problem; two similar sized companies could have identical sales but one has seen profits fall from 100k to 75k, whilst one has seen profits rise from 50k to 60k. In these circumstances, how do we determine the better performer?

One method that allows for comparison is to analyse ratios derived from the financial statements. Basically, expressing one quantity as a proportion of another is a ratio.

In financial statement analysis the use of ratios as a tool to interpretation is universal. Apart from eliminating the effect of size, most ratios are also independent of the reporting currency. There are literally hundreds of ratios that can be derived from the balance sheet, profit & loss account and a combination of both. Obviously a degree of parsimony is needed to decide which are useful. A comparison with the industry, as well as prior year’s figures, is essential to obtain an overall picture.

date of accounts

The date to which the financial statements have been prepared

acid ratio

This represents the number of times a customer’s quick assets can cover its current liabilities, quick assets being defined as current assets minus stock. This is a more stringent test of liquidity

profit/ capital employed

Often used as a primary measure of company performance. This ratio is taken as an indication of how much profit a business yields relative to the money invested. Also referred to as return on capital

current liquidity

This represents the number of times the business short-term assets cover its current liabilities. It measures the ability to meet its day to day commitments

profit/ sales (%)

This represents the percentage of sales left as profits or losses before tax. In general, if profitability is the main driving force, the higher the result the better. It should not however, be taken in isolation. Also known as the profit margin

interest burden

Sometimes referred to as income gearing, this measures the proportion of pre-interest profit which is required to service debt

stock turnover (days)

Stock value divided by sales multiplied by 365 days. The number of days on average for the company to convert stock into a sale

days sales outstanding (DSO)

The number of days, on average, for the company to collect trade debt (i.e. turn a sales invoice into cash). Calculated by dividing trade debtors by sales and multiplying by 365 days

cash cycle (days)

Calculated as (stock + debtors) divided by sales times 365 days or alternatively by adding the stock turnover ratio to the DSO ratio

days purchases outstanding (DPO)

The number of days it takes the company to pay trade creditors. This ratio provides an indication of the amount of credit given to the business by its suppliers. This is calculated by trade creditors divided by cost of sales multiplied by 365 days

creditor days

The formula is trade creditors, divided by sales, multiplied by 365 days. Where cost of sales are disclosed a more accurate figure can be calculated (see DPO)

profit/ total assets (%)

Shows as a percentage the value of the pre-tax profits in proportion to the value of total assets

profit/ shareholders funds (%)

Expresses the proportion of pre-tax profit made in relation to the value of the shareholders funds

sales/ total assets (%)

Shows as a percentage the value of sales in proportion to the value of total assets. Also referred to as asset utilisation

sales/ fixed assets

Shows as a ratio the value of sales in proportion to the value of fixed assets

working capital/ sales (%)

Surplus or deficiency of funds from normal trading activities in relation to its size, measured by sales

total debt/ net worth

A way of measuring the gearing or leverage of a business, by comparing total loans (short and long-term) to net worth

shareholders funds/ total assets

Also known as equity gearing, this represents the proportion of the business' total assets financed by shareholders funds

long-term debt/ net worth (%)

This represents the debt outstanding beyond 12 months in relation to net worth

interest/ pre-interest profit

This measures the cover a company has in meeting its interest payments (i.e. its ability to service its debt)

total debt/ working capital (%)

A gearing measurement which compares total borrowings with the surplus or deficit of funds from normal trading activities

average employee remuneration (£)

Employee remuneration divided by the average number of employees

wages/ sales (%)

Indicates the amount of sales revenue expended on employees pay, showing the marginal cost of employment

profit per employee (£)

Amount of profit before tax made per employee

sales per employee (£)

This is often used as a measurement of productivity. It indicates the amount of sales revenue generated by each employee

capital employed per employee (£)

Capital employed per employee

total fixed assets per employee (£)

Fixed asset investment per employee

total assets per eployee (£)

Total assets per employee

creditors/ debtors

Creditors in relation to debtors

debtors/ total assets (%)

Debtors in relation to total assets

current liabilities/ stocks

Current liabilities in relation to stocks

exports/ sales (%)

Exports in relation to sales

sales/ audit fees

Sales in relation to audit fees

total assets/ audit fees

Total assets in relation to audit fees

This section gives an overview of the main financial items, indicating a positive or negative growth over time.

turnover

Invoiced sales for the period, net of VAT. UK sales, exports and overseas sales and inter-company sales will be included

pre-tax profit

The net trading profit figure after deduction of all operating expenses including depreciation and finance charges, but before deduction of tax, dividends, subventions or group relief, and other appropriations. Where applicable it will include the share of profits and losses of associated companies. Exceptional items are included. Extraordinary items are excluded

audit fees

The auditors’ charge for the statutory audit, which excludes accountancy charges and other non audit related fees

directors' remuneration

All payments made to directors including pension fund contributions, benefits in kind and ex-gratia payments to their families

number of employees

Average number of employees employed during the period

employees' remuneration

Wages and salaries figure: excluding social security, pension costs etc., where possible

fixed assets

This represents a number of items, including the following: property, plant, fixtures, fittings, office equipment and motor vehicles, all at written down value. This will include leased and capitalised assets, and for some industries assets held on a long-term basis and constantly replaced for renting or hiring out

tangible assets

This represents a number of items, including the following: property, plant, fixtures, fittings, office equipment and motor vehicles, all at written down value. This will include leased and capitalised assets, and for some industries assets held on a long-term basis and constantly replaced for renting or hiring out

total fixed assets

The sum of fixed, intangible and intermediate assets

stocks

Trading stocks, sundry stocks and work in progress net of progress payments

trade debtors

Trade debtors, bills receivable and amounts recoverable on contracts due within one year

total current assets

The sum of stocks, trade debtors, cash and miscellaneous current assets

total assets

The total of current and total fixed assets

trade creditors

This figure includes short-term, i.e. within one year portion of trade creditors and trade bills payable. For smaller companies, where trade creditors have not been separated out, the figure will represent total current liabilities

short-term loans

The sum of bank overdraft, bank loans (current portion) and other short-term finance

total current liabilities

The sum of trade creditors, bank overdraft and miscellaneous current liabilities

net cash

All cash and cash equivalent balances

shareholders funds

The sum of called up share capital, profit & loss account reserve, revaluation reserve and other (sundry) reserves

net worth

Shareholders funds minus intangibles. Often referred to as the book value of the company. The long-term realisable value after all liabilities are cleared

long-term loans

The sum of long-term bank loans and other long-term finance

long-term liabilities

The sum of long-term bank loans, other long-term finance and other long-term liabilities

capital employed

The sum of shareholders' funds and total long-term liabilities

performance

profit/ sales (%)

This represents the percentage of sales left as profits or losses before tax. In general, if profitability is the main driving force, the higher the result the better. It should not however, be taken in isolation. Also known as the profit margin

profit/ capital employed (%)

Often used as a primary measure of company performance. This ratio is taken as an indication of how much profit a business yields relative to the money invested. Also referred to as return on capital

profit/ total assets (%)

Shows as a percentage the value of the pre-tax profits in proportion to the value of total assets

profit/ shareholders funds

Expresses the proportion of pre-tax profit made in relation to the value of the shareholders funds

sales/ total assets (%)

Shows as a percentage the value of sales in proportion to the value of total assets. Also referred to as asset utilisation

sales/ fixed assets (%)

Shows as a ratio the value of sales in proportion to the value of fixed assets

working capital/ sales (%)

Surplus or deficiency of funds from normal trading activities in relation to its size, measured by sales

stock turnover (days)

Stock value divided by sales multiplied by 365 days. The number of days on average for the company to convert stock into a sale

credit period (days)

Trade debtors divided by sales times 365 days. This represents the average time taken by customers of the company (trade debtors) in settling their invoices for goods and services supplied on credit. Obviously not all sales will be conducted on a credit basis (a supermarket, for example, will have predominantly cash sales), and thus the calculated days will understate the real credit period offered by the company. A very high figure may indicate an inefficient collection period or could simply reflect that the company is willing to offer preferential credit terms in order to attract business. Similarly, a very low figure may indicate an efficient collection period or could reflect the use of a factoring service. Under a factoring arrangement, the company sells its debtors at a discount. Rather than wait 30 days for a 100 pound invoice to be settled, it accepts 90 pounds now from the factor, who then collects from the customer in the future. Whilst this arrangement eliminates the risk of bad debts, factoring costs are relatively high. A heavy use of factoring can be synonymous with serious cash flow problems

creditor days

The formula is trade creditors, divided by sales, multiplied by 365 days. Where cost of sales are disclosed a more accurate figure can be calculated (see DPO)

current ratio

This represents the number of times a customers quick assets can cover its current liabilities, quick assets being defined as current assets minus stock. This is a more stringent test of liquidity

liquidity ratio

This represents the number of times the business short-term assets cover its current liabilities. It measures the ability to meet its day to day commitments

total debt/ net worth (%)

Total debt (short-term loans plus long-term loans) as percentage of net worth (shareholders funds minus intangibles)

shareholders funds/ total assets

Also known as equity gearing, this represents the proportion of the business' total assets financed by shareholders funds

long-term debt/ net worth (%)

This represents the debt outstanding beyond 12 months in relation to net worth

interest/ pre-interest profit

This measures the cover a company has in meeting its interest payments i.e. its ability to service its debt

total debt/ working capital

A gearing measurement which compares total borrowings with the surplus or deficit of funds from normal trading activities

average employee remuneration (£)

Employee remuneration divided by the average number of employees

wages/ sales (%)

Indicates the amount of sales revenue expended on employees pay, showing the marginal cost of employment

profit per employee (£)

Amount of profit before tax made per employee

sales per employee (£)

This is often used as a measurement of productivity. It indicates the amount of sales revenue generated by each employee

capital employed per employee (£)

Capital employed per employee

total fixed assets per employee (£)

Fixed asset investment per employee

total assets per employee (£)

Total assets per employee

creditors/ debtors

Creditors in relation to debtors

debtors/ total assets (%)

Debtors in relation to total assets

current liabilities/ stocks

Current liabilities in relation to stocks

exports/ sales (%)

Exports in relation to sales

sales/ audit fees

Sales in relation to audit fees

total assets/ audit fees

Total assets in relation to audit fees

filing history

This represents a sample of the subject company's filings at Companies House and in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes and Iris Oifiguil. All mortgage documents filed by the company are displayed. One of each other filing is shown, with a maximum of twenty

company secretaries

appointment date

The date of the secretary’s appointment to this company

date of birth

The date of birth of this individual

address

The last known address of this individual

present appointments

Appointments to other companies

resignations since...

Positions resigned within last 9 years (approx)

directors

appointment date

The date of the director’s appointment to this company

date of birth

The date of birth of this individual

address

The last known address of this individual

present appointments

Appointments to other companies

resignations since...

Positions resigned within last 9 years (approx)

In exceptional circumstances the information contained within a report may differ from what is expected. The detail of information required by law can differ depending on individual company circumstances:

For companies to be categorised under the following classifications two out of the three statements must be true:

small companies

annual turnover

not more than 2.8 million

balance sheet

not more than 1.4 million

no more than 50 employees

filing regulations

Abbreviated balance sheet and notes, auditors’ report if required (special circumstances), no profit & loss

medium companies

annual turnover

not more than 11 million

balance sheet

not more than 5.6 million

no more than 250 employees

filing regulations

Full balance sheet, abbreviated profit & loss, auditors’ report, directors’ reports and notes to accounts

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